Conventional lipstick containers include a cosmetic carrier, a tubular inner sleeve, a tubular outer sleeve and a decorative sleeve. The cosmetic carrier supports the lipstick and is generally configured as a cup having radially outwardly extending lugs on opposing sides. The inner sleeve includes a pair of longitudinally extending slots. An outer sleeve defining a continuous helical channel is positioned about the inner sleeve. The cosmetic carrier is concentrically positioned within the inner sleeve and the carrier lugs extend through the longitudinal slots of the inner sleeve and are received within the helical channel of the outer sleeve. This results in the cosmetic carrier being moved upwardly and downwardly as the lugs traverse the length of the helical channel when the inner sleeve is rotated relative to the outer sleeve. The decorative sleeve is provided for aesthetic purposes. In operation, a bottom portion of the inner sleeve extends beyond the bottom of the outer sleeve. The user rotates the bottom portion to cause the cosmetic carrier and, hence the lipstick, to extend from the container for applying the lipstick and to retract into the container for storage.
Conventional cosmetic carriers are typically defined by an annular sidewall and a base for forming a lipstick receiving cup. A pair of diametrically opposing lugs extend radially outwardly from the outer surface of the carrier sidewall. Vertical ribs extend longitudinally upward from the base, along the inner surface of the carrier to prevent and/or limit rotational movement of the lipstick within the cosmetic carrier.
A problem associated with conventional cosmetic carriers is that the lugs of the cosmetic carrier may collapse inwardly when torque is applied to the inner sleeve and, hence, the carrier. For instance, when the cosmetic carrier is fully extended or fully retracted, further rotational force applied to the inner sleeve's rotatable base may cause the lugs of the cosmetic carrier to be forced inwardly. The lugs thereby become dislocated from within the helical channel of the outer sleeve. The force required to cause the lugs to be removed from the channel is often referred to as the "ride-by force." This may occur either by the consumer or during the assembly of the cosmetic container. For instance, with bottom-fill cosmetic carriers, the lugs may become dislocated from the helical channel when automatic spin stations are used on fill lines during the manufacture and assembly of the cosmetic container.
Problems associated with lugs which have become dislocated from the helical channel may be numerous. For instance, the carrier lugs upon becoming dislocated from the helical channel are compressed radially inwardly, thereby damaging the cosmetic contained therein. This may also impair the components of the cosmetic container and render the cosmetic container difficult to operate, even if the lugs are realigned with the helical channel of the outer sleeve. Dislocation of the lugs from the helical channel may cause the dimension across the lugs to become smaller due to compression of the plastic material which typically forms the cosmetic carrier. This may further reduce the ride-by force on subsequent operation and in some cases make the lipstick inoperable. Thus, if the force required to dislocate the lugs from the helical channel is too low, rejects during manufacturing of the cosmetic container and customer dissatisfaction may result.